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Who's Who - Sir Richard Turner

Sir Richard Ernest Turner
(1871-1961) served in active field command positions with Canadian forces
during World War One.

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Turner came into the First
World War - with Canada entering the war in support of Britain in August
1914 - with a reputation as a war hero. During the South African War
of 1899-1902 Turner established a record for distinction, during the course
of which he won the
Victoria Cross.

Given command of a brigade
on the Western Front Turner was widely believed (to the present day) to have
fared less successfully in the more mechanised method of warfare evidenced
in France, with a particular failure of command at St Eloi in April 1916
(where Canadian forces were decimated by their own artillery
barrage,
suffering some 1,300 casualties).

This did not halt his
progress however. Moving on to a divisional command he was appointed
commander of Canadian forces operating in Britain and became the Canadian
government's chief military adviser in December 1916.

Turner, who was knighted by
King George V in
1917, rose to become Chief of the Canadian General Staff in May 1918, with
consequent responsibility for all Canadian forces operating overseas.

He died on 19 June 1961.

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Saturday, 22 August, 2009Michael Duffy

An "incendiary shell" is an artillery shell packed with highly flammable material, such as magnesium and phosphorous, intended to start and spread fire when detonated.